The top players in tennis face the red clay at Roland Garros for the French Open starting today.

THE BASICS

Schedule: The 15-day tournament begins today. The women's singles final is June 8; the men's singles final is June 9.

2012 men's champion: Rafael Nadal of Spain.

2012 women's champion: Maria Sharapova of Russia.

Key stat: 52-1 - Nadal's career record at the French Open. His only loss came in 2009, against Robin Soderling in the fourth round.

What you need to know

What you need to know

1. WHY STOP AT SEVEN?

Rafael Nadal already owns a record seven French Open titles - he broke a tie with Bjorn Borg by winning last year - and is widely considered the favorite to add No. 8. He is 36-2 this season, reaching the finals of all eight tournaments he's entered, winning six.

2. IF HE'S SO GOOD, WHY WASN'T NADAL SEEDED NO. 1?

After a surprising second-round loss at Wimbledon last year, Nadal was off the tour for a little more than seven months, missing the last two Grand Slam tournaments and every other event - and missing out on the ranking points they offer. So he slid down to a current spot of No. 4. The French Open chose instead to stick to its policy of strictly adhering to the rankings when seeding players.

3. WHO COULD STOP NADAL?

The man who is ranked and seeded No. 1, Novak Djokovic, is one of the two players to beat Nadal this season, and he did it on clay. Djokovic also has won eight of their 11 meetings since the start of 2011. A six-time major champion, Djokovic is trying to complete a career Grand Slam (at least one title at each of tennis' four most important tournaments) in Paris after losing to Nadal in the final last year.

4. WHAT ABOUT ROGER FEDERER?

Almost always overmatched against Nadal, particularly on clay, Federer still can show up with the serve and forehand to beat anyone else on any surface.

5. CAN SERENA WILLIAMS LOSE?

She sure did a year ago at Roland Garros, and quickly, too: It is her only first-round exit in 50 Grand Slam appearances. Since then? She is 67-3 with Wimbledon, U.S. Open and London Olympics titles, and a return to the No. 1 ranking at age 31. She comes to Paris on a 24-match winning streak, the longest of her career.

6. COW ON ICE?

That's how Maria Sharapova famously described her awkward movement on the red clay years ago, but just look at her now. She won the 2012 French Open to complete her career Grand Slam and five of her last six titles came on the slippery surface.

7. WHO IS NOT THERE?

American players Brian Baker of Nashville and Mardy Fish have pulled out of the tournament. Baker has not recovered from a right knee operation, and Fish is unfit because of heart problems. Seventh-ranked Juan Martin del Potro won't play in Paris because of a respiratory virus. U.S. Open champion Andy Murray has a back injury and won't play.

TOP MEN'S PLAYERS

TOP MEN'S PLAYERS

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

? 2013 Match Record: 28-4

Topspin: Trying to become the eighth man with a career Grand Slam; calls the French Open the most important tournament of the year for him. ?Reached at least the semifinals in four of the past six years at Roland Garros.

ROGER FEDERER

2013 Match Record: 18-6

Topspin: Heads to Roland Garros without a title in 2013; the last time he hadn't won at least one tournament before the start of the French Open was 2000. ? Enters his 54th consecutive Grand Slam tournament, two shy of the record set by Wayne Ferreira from 1991-2004.

RAFAEL NADAL

2013 Match Record: 36-2

Topspin: Career record at French Open is 52-1; only loss came in fourth round in 2009 to Robin Soderling, who is not in the field this year. ? That's also Nadal's only loss in 76 career best-of-five-set matches on clay.

TOMAS BERDYCH

2013 Match Record: 29-10

Topspin: Tough to ignore him, considering the powerful strokes that helped him reach semifinals on red clay this month at Rome and Madrid, where he beat Djokovic.

JO-WILFRIED TSONGA

2013 Match Record: 21-8

Topspin: Held four match points against Djokovic in the French Open quarterfinals last year but failed to convert any in a five-set loss.

TOP WOMEN'S PLAYERS

TOP WOMEN'S PLAYERS

SERENA WILLIAMS

2013 Match Record: 36-2

Topspin: On a career-high 24-match winning streak that includes titles on European red clay at Madrid and Rome. ? Was also unbeaten on clay heading to the French Open a year ago, when she was stunned in the first round by 111th-ranked Virginie Razzano of France.

MARIA SHARAPOVA

2013 Match Record: 30-4

Topspin: The defending champion's .816 career winning percentage on clay courts (93-21 record) is the highest among active players, according to the WTA. ? 11-1 on clay this season, including title at Stuttgart; loss came against Williams in the final at Madrid.

VICTORIA AZARENKA

2013 Match Record: 22-2

Topspin: French Open is the only major tournament where she hasn't reached at least the semifinals.. ? Has made great strides on clay, going 33-9 over the past three seasons, after starting her career 36-24 on the slow surface.

LI NA

2013 Match Record: 21-6

Topspin: At 2011 French Open, became the first tennis player from China to win a Grand Slam singles championship.